Auditorium



J. E. VARIN AUDITORIUM May 8, 1934.

Original Filed Oct. ll, 1929 lgre/01@ M WM @y @W a@ Patented May Si, i934 "nf F "new erre @Mmm-...HM

@riginal application October 1l, 1929, Serial No. 398,946. Divided and this application August 15, 1933, Serial No. 585,284. In France November 14, i928 Li Claims.

This invention relates to the construction of theatres, cinemas, hospitals or the like, where the public are admitted in large numbers, to ensure enicient protection in the case oi rire, both against the nre itself and against the panic, which is produced in such circumstances. invention allows for limiting the material damage in the case or" a serious outbreak.

This application is a di* sion oi my co-pending application iiled October ll, 1929, Serial Number 398,945, and the priority oi November 14, 1928 is claimed.

The invention is essentially characterized in that the iioor of the hall, as well as all other galleries, open to the public, is supported by one or more columns which can be lowered in case oi nre, in order to bring the said iioor to ground level or underground, where very large exit doors may be provided along all sides, this lowering movement being carried out simultaneously with the positioning of a safety ceiling which takes the place of the door, either by sliding or descending :from above, so that the audience is Aprotected during the lowering of the floor, and the damage imited whilst separating the upper part of the theatre which is stationary from the moving part.

It relates more particularly to a method of carrying out the invention, in which the movable part of the theatre is mounted on a nut, which can only move parallelly to itself without rotating, and inside which is mounted a hollow bolt which, during the lowering, rotates screwing itself up owing to the pressure exerted on the said nut, the movement of raising the hoor being obtained v35 by the expansion oi a mixture of gases.

The whole of the installation may be connected by a mechanism operated for example by an electric switch (or in other manner) it being un derstood that the current should be taken from 4o another main than that providing the light and power for the needs of the hall and the stage. In this way the audience will be taken out of danger in the space of nve or six seconds without possible panic and above all without any one "5 needing to leave their place during the very short time occupied by the operation.

This arrangement provided for the evacuation of halls where the public is received in large numbers may also be adapted to any private dwelling V5o structure for the safeguard and security of the inmates, whatever the height of the structure and number or" noors.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section.

Cir

Cil'

Fig. 2 shows a modification for moving the separating wall into position.

According to the invention the floor a of the premises which carries all the seating space for the audience can be moved vertically without rotation to bring it to the ground level b where very large exits c are provided all around the building.

This movement, for lowering as well as raising, is carried out as follows:

The oor ct is mounted on a nut d within which a hollow bolt e can rotate, this bolt e being connected at its lower end to a stationary socket g forming a guide h Aifo-r the vertical movement.

A pin i capable of being withdrawn in the direction or the arrow 7' by a cable lfrom a windlass 1c 70 against the action of a spring l, prevents t-he movement or" the bolt e.

Columns m slide insidehollow pillars a on stationary rods n arranged around the periphery to guide the arrangement.

An aperture o which can be hermetically sealed by a valve Yp is provided for the introduction of a body s of dynamite for example 'into a chamber q having an upper cover of, this body s being capable of producing an intense gaseous dispersion when it enters into contact with an appropriate liquid t which is dropped upon it and which is contained in a reservoir u. This is provided at its lower end with orifices which can be opened or closed by a valve v to which is given a movement of A baffle arrangement w centrally disposed as well as the length of the movable columns m (not shown in the drawing) prevents all possibility of this gas escaping except when the movable por- 90 tions are in the raised position that is to say when the parts :c provided in the hollow pillars e are uncovered by the columns m.

Stairs y rising from the ground level b give access to the iioor a when it is in its raised or normal position.

A platform 2 sliding on slightly inclined runways 3 takes the place or" the floor a when this is lowered.

In the modication shown in Fig. 2 this plat- 10o form is in two parts 2 and 2 and pivots into position on axes 13.

Series of ball bearings or roller bearings 4, 5, 6 and 7 facilitate the displacement of the movable parts with respect to the stationary.

The operation of the arrangement is as follows:

When the chamber 8 is required to be rapidly cleared the windlass k is employed to remove the pin i which frees the bolt e. This latter owing 110 to the load which it carries commences to rotate in the direction of the arrow 9 whilst resting on the socket y, and the nut d and oor a are lowered until this latter reaches the ground level b, from where the audience can be rapidly evacuated through the large doors c. Simultaneously with this lowering movement the movable platform 2 (either that shown in Fig. 1 or that shown in Figure 2) takes the place of the floor a so that flames, plaster or slates cannot fall on to the audience during its descent. This platform limits at the same time the material damage if the re develops.

To raise the oor into its initial position a body s of dynamite for example is introduced into the chamber q the valve p closed and the handwheel 'D rotated to drop liquid t from the reservoir u. An intense cloud of gas is liberated the force of the expansion of which acts at 10 and ll on the columns m and raises the floor a, nut d and bolt e into the higher position.

The bolt e rotating in the direction of the arrow 12 owing to its own weight comes in contact with the stop r when it is locked afresh by the pin z'. The gaseous products from the body s can only escape when the orifice X in the pillars Z are uncovered by the column m. An inspection cap 14 is provided for cleaning the chamber q.

This operation of cleaning can be assisted or completely performed by means of one or more mechanical jacks or by a similar system of hand or electric jacks.

The movable platform 2 or 2I provided to take the place of the oor a after this has moved may be in the form of a reservoir or suitable chamber into which is directed by nozzles suitably placed water or chemical products which will automatically extinguish any flaming material falling upon it.

As goes without saying and as a result of the foregoing the invention is not limited to the one means of operation described nor to the several parts but includes any mode of operation as well as the combination shown in the drawing.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An arrangement for the rapid evacuation of buildings in case of re comprising a floor, a plurality of columns upon which the floor is mounted, a screw by which the floor is lowered, a pin for locking the screw in the raised position, a windlass for releasing the pin, doors surrounding the building at the ground level and movable platforms, the movement of which is controlled by that of the floor, for closing down into the position originally occupied by the floor.

2. An arrangement for the rapid evacuation of buildings in case of fire comprising a floor, a plurality of columns upon which the oor is mounted, a screw by which the oor is lowered, a pin for locking the screw in the raised position, a windlafss for releasing the pin, doors surrounding the building at the ground level, and movable platforms, the movement of which is controlled by that of the floor, arranged for closing down into the position originally occupied by the floor.

3. A building having a vertically movable floor, guiding means for the floor, a xed nut element on the under side of the floor, a supporting screw for the iloor engaged with the nut element, means by which the screw is mounted for free rotation under stress of the load of the floor whereby to cause the screw to permit the floor to be lowered by gravity and means to lock the screw against rotation when the floor is in raised position and therefore cause the screw to support the iloor in said position, said locking means being releasable from the screw.

4. In a building, a vertically movable floor, means to cause the floor to be lowered and a vertically movable platform or screen element above the floor and inclined runways for said platform on which said platform is slidable, said platform being controlled by the loor so that the platform is arranged to close the space above the iloor when the floor is lowered.

JULES ERNEST VARIN. 

